Pneumatic mechanism for operating an extensible car-step.



H. n. KIRKLEY. v PNEUMATIC MECHANISM'FOR OPERATING AN EXTENSIBLE CAR STEP.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 26. I9I5.

Patented July 25, 1916.

HIRAM ID. KIBKLEY, OF PARAGOULID, ARKANSAS.

PNEUMATIC MECHANISM FOR OPERATING AN EXTENSIBLE CAR-STER Application filed Octobhr 26, 1915.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, I-IIRAM D. KIRKLEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Paragould, in the county of Greene, State of Arkansas, have invented a new and useful Pneumatic Mechanism for Operating an Extensible Car-Step; and I do hereby de' clare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to an improved pneumatic mechanism for operating an extensible car step of such a construction as disclosed in the patent issued August 11, 1914, to H. D. Kirkley, Patent No. 1,107,170, and an object of the invention is to provide a mechanism of this nature having improved features of construction, and so connected with the car step as to extend or recede the same pneumatically.

In practical fields the details of construction may necessitate alterations, falling within the scope of what is claimed.

The invention comprises further features and combination of parts, as hereinafter set forth, shown in the drawings and claimed.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is an enlarged detail side elevation partly in section of an extensible car step, showing connections between the step and the door of the vestibule of the car, and illustrating the improved pneumatic mechanism connected to said connections, whereby the car step may be extended or receded by the vestibule door, or whereby they pneumatic mechanism may actuate both the extensible step and the vestibule door. Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view of the pneumatic mechanism. Fig. 3 is a sectional view on line 33 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a plan view of that'portion of the pneumatic mechanism which is carried by the upper surface of the floor of the platform or vestibule.

Referring more especially to the drawings, 1 designates the floor of the platform of the vestibule of a part of a car, 2 the usual steps, 3 the extensible step, 4 denotes the vestibule door, and 5 designates the mechanism connecting between the door 1 and the extensible step 3, so that by opening and closing the door 4:, the extensible Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 25, 1916.

Serial No. 57,959.

step may be extended or receded. This mechanism 5 is clearly, definitely and accurately set forth and claimed in said patent above identified, therefore any further description of the construction and operation is believed unnecessary, with the exception of stating that said mechanism includes an oscillating lever 32, to which the plunger rod 6 of the pneumatic cylinder 7, is connected, by means of the link 8. This pneumatic cylinder 7 is secured upon the side 9 of the framing of the usual car steps, by means of the arched strap 10. The plunger rod 6 is guided in the bearing 11, and is provided with a piston 12 operating in the pneumatic cylinder 7 The opposite ends of the cylinder are provided with cap plates 13 and 14 threaded thereon, which cap plates are supplied with interior annular flanges 15 to afford a ground joint at 16 with the ends of the cylinder. The plunger rod 6 is guided through one end of the cylinder as at 17 and through the cap 13, as at 18. An air conveying pipe 19 connects at 20 to one end of the cylinder so that air may be forced thereinto on one side of the piston, so as to operate the piston in the direction of the arrow a, while an air conveying pipe 21 connects to the cap 1 1, to convey air into the cylinder upon the other side of the piston, in order to force the piston in the opposite direction indicated by the arrow 6. When the piston 12 is moving in the direction of the arrow a, the air on the other side of the piston may exhaust through the pipe 21, and when the piston is moving in the direction of the arrow 6, the air on the other side of the piston exhausts through the pipe 19. To direct the air into one or the other of said pipes 19 and 21, an improved valve 22 is provided, which comprises two parts 23 and 24 secured together by the bolts 25, which also pass through the platform or floor 1 of the vestibule of the car and provided with nuts 26, thereby securing the two parts (which constitute a casing) to the floor 1 of the car.

In practice, the two parts 23 and 24 are fitted tight together at 27 by virtue of a ground joint, to prevent leakage. However, before fitting the two parts together a disk valve 28 is arranged between the parts, so

that the upper annular corner or edge 29 will fit in the recess 30 of the part 23, thereby preventing upward movement of the disk valve from its seat, with which seat the valve is afforded the'ground joint. The casing is provided with diametrically oppositely disposed openings 31 and 33. The disk valve 28 is also supplied with diametrically opposite openings 34 and 35. The opening 34 extends vertically, whereas the opening 35 is angular as shown.

The air pipes 19 and 21 extend through the flooring 1, and are threaded into the openings 36 and 37 of the part 24 of the valve casing, andwith which openings 36 and 37, the openings 34 and35 alternately register, so as to permit air under pressure to pass alternately through the pipes19 and 21, for reciprocating the piston 12 in one direction or the other, for extendingor receding the extensible car' step, through the mechanism 5. 'Air from any suitable source (not shown) is admitted intothe valve casing, through the pipe 39, which is threaded at 40 into the casing of the valve. The valve 28 is provided with a valve stem 41, to the upper end of which a valve handle 42 is connected. The valve stem 41 passes through the top or upper portion of the part 23 of the casing as shown at 43, and through the cap 44, which is threaded to the top of the part 23 of the casing, there being a ground joint 45 to insure against leakage of air. The mechanism in Fig. 2 illustrates that the piston 12 has just been operated to move the lever 32, in order to extend the extensible step. When operating the piston 12 to the position shown in full lines in Fig. 2 to extend the step, air has been allowed to pass through the opening 34 of the valve 28, into and through the pipe 21, and thence into the pneumatic cylinder, in which case the piston 12 has just completed its movement, to oscillate the lever 32 in its fullline position in Fig. 2 to extend the step. To cause the air to take this course, the lever 42 has just been operated from the dotted line position to the full line position in Fig. 2, said lever 42 having been limited by the lug 47. When extending the extensible step in this manner air has been exhausted through the pipe 19 from the other side of the opening 34 with the opening 37, which will cause air under pressure through the pipe 39 to pass through the pipe 19, thereby causing the piston 12 to move from its full line position to its dotted line position, in WlllCh case the air on the other side ofthe piston 12 exhausts through the pipe 21 and out through the openings 36, 35 and 31. hen moving the piston 12 in this manner from its full line position to its dotted line position, the lever 32 will move to the position shown in Fig. 1, thereby receding the extensible step, and closing the vestibule door. When moving the handle or lever 42 from its full line position to its dotted line position, it is limited in its dottedline position by the lug or stop 49.

"The invention having been set forth, what is claimed as new and useful is:

1. In combination with the car steps having an extensible and collapsible step, an operating lever therefor, a pneumatic cylinder having a piston therein connected to said lever, a valve casing, said casing having a pair of oppositely disposed openings in its bottom, saidopenings having tubes of communication with the pneumatic cylinder forwardly and in'the rear of the piston, a tube connected to the valve casing fEor'introducing air under pressure thereinto, diametrically opposite portions of the sides of the valve casing having openings adjacent and extending at right angles to the first openings, a disk valve rockable in said casing, said valvehaving a vertical opening adjacent its side adaptedto alternately register with the first openings to permit air to pass through first one and then the other of said tubes of communication with the cylinder for actuating the piston, said valve having an angular or L-shaped opening diametrically opposite the vertical opening to throw one of the first openings in communication with one of the second adjacent openings, and then connect the other first open ing and its respective second opening alter- 2'. A valve for operating pneumatic means of an extensible step, comprising a valve casing having a pair of oppositely disposed openings in its bottom having communications with said pneumatic means, and provided with a tube for introducing air under pressure into the valve casing, diametrically opposite portions of the sides of the valve casing having openings adjacent and extending at right angles to the first openings,

a disk valve rockable in said casing, said v 1 h ving a vertical opening adja its side adapted to alternately register with the first openings to operate the pneumatic means, said valve having an L-shaped opening diametrically opposite the vertical opening to cooperate with the first and second openings alternately to exhaust the air from the pneumatic means, said disk valve having a vertical centrally disposed stem provided name to this specification in the presence With an operating handle, and means to be of tWo subscribing Witnesses.

alternately en a ecl b the handle for limiting the valve here by its openings may HIRAM KIBKLEY' alternately cooperate With the first and sec- WVitnesses: 0nd openings of the casing. WALTER FINKENBINDER, In testimony whereof I have signed my DONALD W. EUBERT.

Gopies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the "Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

